Report on Meeting with Verizon Cell Tower People

Just to keep all informed: I met this morning for about 30 minutes with Verizon’s wireless engineer who plans tower locations. With him were the legislative liaison for Verizon and the attorney who has been representing Verizon on this tower.

I made clear to them that the currently proposed Exit 59 location is a dead proposal in my mind.

They showed me some of their analysis of coverage holes. It seemed to me, and the wireless engineer did not disagree, that there are actually a relatively broad range of locations that could help improve service in Belmont. The Exit 59 location solves a certain set of problems, but other locations could solve many of the same problems and perhaps some other problems.

My recommendation was that Verizon approach the Board of Selectmen and have a public discussion of all their Belmont area service improvement needs. Put the service drawing up on the screen and have a discussion starting at square zero as to possible locations.

So, hopefully, they will pursue that approach — I did not seek, nor did they make, any commitments.